Mum And Daughter Rugby Tackled Thief After He Burgled Their Home

A mother and daughter caught a prolific burglar by rugby tackling him to the ground and sitting on him until the police arrived.

Jade Goodwin, 21, and her mother Julie, 50, arrived home to find Wayne Wooldridge standing in their home in Walsall, West Midlands.

As he tried to escape with cash and jewellery, they chased after him and wrestled him to the ground.

The 44-year-old thief managed to wriggle free but Jade tackled him again before off-duty security guard Graham Harvey witnessed the incident and sat on the thief with Julie while her daughter dialled 999.

Jade said: "Mum shouted 'get him' as he ran off and I just went for him.

"I was like a bull. I have watched my brothers play rugby in the past and so had a rough idea how you were supposed to tackle.

"He broke free but I ran after him and got him again."

Wooldridge, who has 50 previous convictions for burglary and attempted burglary, was jailed for three years and eight months at Wolverhampton Crown Court after admitting burglary and assault. He asked for 83 other offences to be taken into account.

The court heard that Wooldrige, of Walsall, had only been out of prison for three weeks when he raided the Goodwin's home.

Judge Robin Onions told him: "You have a dreadful record and subjected Mrs Goodwin and her daughter to what must have been a terrifying experience.

"They both showed commendable bravery and deserve an official commendation for their actions."

The stolen jewellery, which includes irreplaceable heirlooms from Julie's later mother, has never been recovered, and police believe there was a second, undiscovered, offender.

Wooldridge has now refused to help the couple get their possessions back.

Speaking after the hearing Julie said: "I thought I was a strong person but this incident has shaken me.

"It still makes me cry. I have lived happily in that house for 50 years and this was such an invasion of my privacy.

"I have always managed to see the good in people and have never experienced anything like this before but it has made me want to move from this house I loved and an area I have always been happy to live in."